True Value: Breaking Down Kevin Durantâ€™s Past, Present, and Future

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Itâ€™s this blend of freakish volume and efficiency that makes DurantÂ the best shooter in the world. His ability to create good shots near the basket, in the midrange, and beyond the arc is second to none. Durant accrued more unassisted field goals this year than players like Kemba Walker and Tim Duncan had total field goals.

This from-scratch creativityÂ deodorizes some of the shortcomings of his teamâ€™s offense. Over the last seven seasons, his handle has become one of the best in the league, one that isÂ truly unprecedented for a player of his height. The end result is a team-first player with an all-world jumper, slick ballhandling, and top-notch basketball instinct. If you were going to build a modern basketball player in a lab, heâ€™d come out looking a lot like Kevin Durant.

Durant is the most valuable player, but scoring isnâ€™t the only thing of value about him. His ability to create shots for his teammates also deserves some attention. Durant led his team in total assists this season with 445. Russell Westbrook averaged more assists per game than Durant, but Westbrook also missed long stretches of games, and Durantâ€™s ability to slide into a greater playmaking role during those periodsÂ was a key to his teamâ€™s success.